leptin and Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of lamotrigine in binge-eating disorder (BED) associated with obesity. Fifty-one outpatients with BED by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition criteria, and obesity were randomized to receive either lamotrigine (N=26) or placebo (N=25) in a 16-week, double-blind, flexible-dose study. Lamotrigine (236+/-150 mg/day) and placebo had similar rates of reduction of weekly frequency of binge-eating episodes and binge days, weight and BMI, measures of eating pathology, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, impulsivity, and global severity of illness. However, lamotrigine was associated with a numerically greater amount of weight loss (1.17 vs. 0.15 kg) and significant reductions in fasting levels of glucose, insulin, and triglycerides. It was also well tolerated and associated with no serious adverse events. As a result of an exceptionally high placebo response, it is likely that for efficacy measures except for body weight and metabolic indices, the study was incapable of detecting potentially clinically important drug-placebo difference.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antimanic Agents; Body Mass Index; Bulimia Nervosa; Double-Blind Method; Female; Ghrelin; Humans; Impulsive Behavior; Lamotrigine; Leptin; Male; Middle Aged; Obesity; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Treatment Outcome; Triazines; Weight Loss; Young Adult

The prohormone preproenkephalin (ppE) and its derived peptides are involved in leukocyte functioning as well as in the regulation of hunger and satiety. Various abnormalities of the immune and endocrine systems have been described in states of malnutrition such as anorexia nervosa (AN). We hypothesized that ppE expression in AN patients may vary depending on the state of the disorder and the extent of malnutrition.. Expression of ppE mRNA was analysed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 29 underweight and 29 weight-recovered patients with AN and compared to that in 29 healthy control women. The extent of malnutrition was characterized by BMI and plasma leptin. Psychological distress and eating disorder specific-psychopathology was determined with the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised and the Eating Disorders Inventory-2.. ppE gene expression was similar in all 3 groups and was not related to nutritional status or eating disorder symptoms. However, a significant negative correlation was found between ppE expression and obsessive-compulsive, depressive and anxious symptoms. In addition, ppE expression was higher in smokers compared to non-smokers.. Although malnutrition and hypoleptinaemia as seen in patients with AN were not related to peripheral ppE expression, we demonstrated reduced ppE expression in patients with elevated psychological distress. Similar associations have been shown in animal models of stress. It remains speculative if psychological symptoms and/or stress may augment immune abnormalities in AN patients via a pathway that is independent of nutritional status and involves ppE.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anorexia Nervosa; Anxiety; Basal Metabolism; Depression; Enkephalins; Female; Gene Expression; Humans; Leptin; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Protein Precursors; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Severity of Illness Index; Stress, Psychological; Thinness

Topics: Blood Specimen Collection; Ghrelin; Humans; Leptin; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Reference Values; Research Design

To examine the importance of ghrelin and leptin in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), we measured serum ghrelin and leptin levels, lipid profile and body mass index (BMI) in 43 patients with OCD and 20 healthy controls. The patients were divided into two subgroups according to whether DSM-IV OCD was accompanied with major depressive disorder (MDD) (OCD+MDD) or not (OCD-MDD). There was no statistically significant difference in ghrelin and leptin levels between groups. The OCD+MDD group had a trend of higher ghrelin levels and lower leptin levels than the OCD-MDD and control groups. There was a negative correlation between change in serum ghrelin and leptin levels only in the OCD+MDD group. Neither ghrelin nor leptin showed any correlation with severity of MDD and OCD. In conclusion, our results suggest that OCD is not associated with leptin or ghrelin levels. More comprehensive and detailed studies are needed to decipher the exact role of ghrelin and leptin in OCD.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Analysis of Variance; Body Mass Index; Chi-Square Distribution; Depression; Female; Ghrelin; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Leptin; Male; Middle Aged; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Peptide Hormones

Topics: Anxiety Disorders; Comorbidity; Depressive Disorder, Major; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System; Leptin; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Pituitary-Adrenal System; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

The aim of the present study was to evaluate serum leptin levels to demonstrate whether or not its eventual alterations might have an etiopathogenetic significance in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Thus, it was planned to examine whether serum leptin levels were affected by pure OCD (OCD-D), pure depression (D) or the comorbidity of OCD and depression (OCD+D). Forty-four patients with OCD (27 with OCD-D and 17 with OCD+D), 38 depressed patients and 30 control subjects were enrolled and serum leptin and cortisol levels were measured. According to the mean leptin levels, no significant difference was found between the OCD-D and control groups and between the OCD+D and D groups, while statistically significantly lower levels were found in the OCD+D and D groups than in control group. Significant difference in the mean leptin levels was found among groups even after controlling for body mass index or sex. The present study confirms the strong relationship between serum leptin and cortisol values and suggests that reduced leptin levels, rather than having an etiopathogenetic significance in patients with OCD, seem to be associated with patients with OCD and depression but not with pure OCD patients, and that OCD may be a heterogeneous subtype containing some biological indications of anxiety and affective disorders.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Depressive Disorder; Female; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Leptin; Male; Middle Aged; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Reference Values